The Monthly Cypher Begins

This is the first of the Rhetorical Artz Online Cypher series that will be happening once a month. Tracksploitation's JCT45 has offered the first beat from their epic mixtape titled Apotheosis (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TLHX3lngCk). 

You can get the beat here:http://soundcloud.com/tracksploitation/the-apotheosis-of-you

Finding an inner way

  As I reflect on my path today, I find myself better able to distinguish what I have done in the past that was coming from the inside, and what I have done that was coming from the outside. Coming from the outside has been these expectations to do things a certain way(spiritually, intellectually, professionally, and artistically) that have cajoled me to push myself in directions(by choice) that did not match up with where I was in those given present moments. As a result, many projects that I have started have came out unfinished. The few projects that were implemented and completed felt forced and unnatural. 
I thought it often had to do with my ideas being incomplete. But I now see that is not completely the case(As a type that I just have to laugh. For I am completely understanding and making peace with my own incompleteness in this moment in time). I now recognize that it wasn't that my ideas were incomplete as much as it was that I was incomplete in my pursuit of them. 

  For one to fully express themselves, it is not enough for what they are expressing to be essentially who they are, but the way and energy in which they express it must also represent who they are at the essence. In the spirit of application, I am now coming into an integrated understanding of a) what I want to express at the core of me, b) how I best express it, and  c) the condition I need to be in and/or the energy I need to bring in order to fully express it. 

  What it is, how to do it, and the condition it needs to be done in: These are the 3 elements to expressing the essence of who you are. Without them in tact, one is farther from their real self, and closer to the unreal identity often illustrated and encourage by the world around us. Let us come into being us. 

The Movement Continues...
- Rhetorical Artz 

First Tracks of the Bur Words Campaign is Out!!!!

Both the Song and Spoken Word Poem for the first week of the Bur Word Campaign are now out on reverberation. I will keep all of you updated on where else you will be able to find them at. I will also be sure to let all those who are either living or visiting in the Pittsburgh area know where they can find me performing @ this week.


The Movement Continues...
- Rhetorical Artz

The Help Buld Better Communities Campaign

Friends, Family, and those who know me,

Some of you may have heard the quote that says "it takes a village to raise a child." I believe that this quote needs to be taken a step further. For it takes a village to not only raise a child, but to sustain a family, as well as offer a sense of security, significance, and belonging to people of all ages. We can see this in the people in this world who turn out to be healthy, happy, and successful in their own right. In these types of people you will almost always find a host of other individuals who had a hand at raising, influencing, and impacting them for the better. These individuals form a village around the person that allows them to truly tap into their potential as people, while being made to feel that they have the potential of which to even be tapped into.

Yet that village seems hard to see in everyday life. We all seem to have so many issues that have not been worked through, goals that have not been reached, and needs that have not been met that it's difficult to even conceive of a village scenario such as the one I'm proposing. To be honest, there are not nearly as many villages out there- with the virtues that I am speaking of- as there should be. Yet in that lies a huge opportunity; the opportunity to create one yourself.

I am in the fortunate position to be working for a company that pays me to do just that. The companies name is Whos Your Brother. The mission of the company is to essentially help people help people in their communities WITHOUT exchanging money. This is done using a website(which does not cost you anything to sign up to) that facilitates the process. On the website you will find both people who have an array of needs (tutoring, food, clothes, advice, books, etc) as well as people who use their talents, resources, and a bit of their time to provide for those needs.

The ironic thing about these two types of people on the site is that they turn out to be one in the same. For the people who have needs, also can provide for the needs of others. My jobs is to connect these two type of people together(Starting on the site and ending off the site, in person) and in the process of doing so help them to see that the two people(the one helping and the one being help) , are in fact, the same type of person; one who has both needs they require help in order to remedy and ways to met the needs of others using their own gifts, talents, resources, and time.

Imagine entire neighborhoods, college campuses, cities, even countries of people who could go right next door to either get whatever is it they need or- through their neighbor- get connected to where they can go to have their needs met. This is the world that Whos Your Brother -along with myself- wish to create. But it must first starts with me, and it must first starts with you.

I will be working in both the Hill District and Duquesne University to begin the building of this type of community, and I need your help to do it. Whether you live in those areas or not, if this is the type of community you would wish to create and live in, then join me in this effort by signing up to WYB @ www.whosyourbrother.com(It's free!) and putting in my referral code (Z8ZY317X5). Together I truly believe we can make this type of community a reality!

Peace, Love, and Brotherhood
- Adam Keene aka Rhetorical Artz
A Rescuer and Advocate of Whos Your Brother

Upcoming Project Announcement: The Bur Words Campaign

"Empty your cup so that it may be filled; become devoid to gain totality."
— Bruce Lee

I know it has been a while since I have posted anything. For those who follow this blog I am sorry about that, but I have needed to step away from blogging for a while. I believe that the best blogs are the ones that express how one is personality living life. So I'd say that it's kind of important that one is living life in order to blog(just my opinion). That is just what I have been doing, and I can tell you that I now have a ton of stories to share with you all. However... I'm not going to share those right now! I'm unfortunately gonna have to hold off until September for those stories to be shared, and speaking of September...

I am working on a project that will start then which I 'm definitely and completely pumped about. The reason I'm so excited about this project is 3-tiered.

For the past few years I have been creating a lot of stuff(poems, raps, stories, quotes, etc) that I have not been able to figure out how to fully spread around. At the same time, I have a couple creative endeavors that I want to get started on, yet I have all of this art sitting in the basement of my notebooks, Google documents, and in my own head that has been screaming to be released. While you would think that notebooks and Google documents wouldn't be able to make much noise, you'd be surprised how loud they can be in your mind. It also doesn't help that all the people around me who know me and have been exposed to my art keep asking me the question "so when are you performing" or "where can I go to hear or see more?" In addition to this, their are some creative folks out there that I have been dying to collaborate with.
Sooooooooo, I figured that in order to a) fully focus my energies on the creative endeavors I desire to focus on, b) give what I've previously created the spotlight it deserves, and c) reach out to the artist and other talented people that have wanted to work with that I would have do something to hit 3 birds with one stone.

So here's my really big stone.

From the month of SeptemBUR to decemBUR I will be the starting a 4 month project that I call BUR WORDS. Every week I will, at the least, be releasing a song, a spoken word piece, and a straight-up story of sorts via online and in live performances around the Pittsburgh area. Whether you are a supporter of my art, a potential collaborator on the project, or both I'll be looking for your help. I am seeking visual artist, emcees, poets, producers, audio and/or visual recording engineers, photographers, dancers, musicians, and last but not least A STREET TEAM TO SPREAD THE WORD!

If your interested in helping with the project in any of these areas, please contact me @ rhetoricalartz@gmaill.com or hit me up on Facebook, and I will send you more details on how you can participate in the project. I can't wait for this project to start!

The Movement Continues...
- Rhetorical Artz

I'll let this speak for itself

The Movement Continues...
- Rhetorical Artz

Rhetorical Artz- Sewer Slang

It's time to get rid of the sewer slang in hip-hop. That's the mission.

The Movement Continues...
- Rhetorical Artz

Hold on to your dreams

I have been out of college for over a month now, and I can tell you that it has been an interesting experience. I spent my senior year in college, focusing on both my storytelling performance group(Speak Life Storytellers) and my own storytelling endeavor as Rhetorical Artz. I guess had this whole idea in my head that once I graduated that things would just take off; that the seeds that I had been planting, and all the time I put into my storytelling craft- via spoken word, rapping, and pure storytelling- would immediately burst through the surface and begin taking on the world by storm.

It hasn't worked out that way.

Since graduating, I have spent a month planning, and preparing storytelling material for both myself (as Rhetorical Artz) and Speak Life Storytellers. It has not been easy doing this without making any income, but it has been a well needed learning experience. A friend of mine told me that art does not like to be pushed and I agree. However, I am coming to learn that while art does not like to be pushed it does appreciate being approached authentically.

That is precisely what I thought I was doing. Yet, as I have been "doing that" I have come across some very interesting discoveries about the importance of working with your dreams. For through I have been seemingly approaching my art, I have been openly pushing around my dreams- the most beautiful piece of artwork that I have within me- and have been allowing the thoughts of others to push my dreams around as well. My dreams response to all the pushing has been a simple one: "If you and everyone else keeps pushing me around, I will stop working with you all together."

It becomes important when aiming to make a dream become reality, that we give it the respect, patience, and the love and care that it deserves. To do that, I have recently begun to treat my dreams like I would treat a person I was in conversation with. When I am having a meaningful conversation with someone, I give them time to express themselves, show that I care about what they are saying, and allow whatever is meant to be said in the conversation to emerge. I am attentive to what is being said; making sure that my mind, body, and spirit are present in the conversation. Walking with your dreams into reality is no different. You must be attentive to it, otherwise you will not hear it when it tells you that it is ready to be released into the world.

How attentive have you been in the conversations with your dreams?

The Movement Continues...
- Rhetorical Artz

Pacing Himself

He’s already traveled miles in his thoughts...

all while pacing around the kitchen counter enough times to cut through the tile. As outsiders, try to enter the private amusement park in his mind, banging on the gates, uttering the password “dude what are you doing.” Little do they know that this password is a false code, given to those who are forever branded as trespassers.

He is a master of disguise, hiding behind a mask of secrecy that secretly he himself has never fully seen behind.

Sometimes he finds it just fine. Most of the time he finds it just plain frustrating; infuriating that over half the pesticide

pill-filled places

fumigating in his brain

are left unknown to him.

But these places within are not all unknown; he has seen snapshots of some them. Whenever in the light of a bus ride down 5th avenue, or on a fire-walk upon the coals of his neighborhood block, or even under the single flame of his own company, the light sometimes shines at just the right angle to make out blurry faces of clarity.

Those moments are extravagant, exceeding rational roadblocks of social demands; the man made road-maps that fail to tap into the tapestry of his masterful secrecy.

These moments matter, their meaningfulness only able to be measured by the treasure of golden threaded insight and intuition, interwoven into the fabric of his being.

He has the heart of an honest priest, repeatedly marrying comedy and philosophy together in a holy matrimony that goes against the church of conformity.

He breaks past the limitation of any infj personality profile, or Standard Assessment Test on file, meanwhile making up his own exam, which he has titled “There’s nothing wrong with me Adam...it's not autism, I’m just a bossman, okay.”

"Okay Pete...hey Pete?

Did you know you stand as one of the biggest examples of being an honest to God individual that I know who does desire structure, but is willing to go with the flow as well?"

I sometimes fail to tell him that I understand; that I comprehend why he must defend against the endless onslaughts of outsiders; how when his mind is questing through questions, often pacing is the only way he can pace himself

in any way, shape, or form.

Instead

we fight each other like we're on that histories channel show Vikings,

But Despite This, the router of Truth he and I both pursue will always keep us connected as brothers in the same beautiful struggle, so that during times of triumphs and troubles he will be able to remember that here ,on this world wide web called reality, lies those...who know why he’s pacing...will not judge him for it...and will love him because of it

Because that's  his rhythm

His version a of whistle while he works

So take your tiiiiimmmmeee peter

It's okay

Live life at your own speed

Just make sure

that you remember

To pace yourself along way

Jaw Drop is a duo between Rhetorical Artz(me) and Langston Kelly, two Speak Life Storytellers and Dress Down artists. In early 2011, this happened.

The Movement Continues...

- Rhetorical Artz

Graduating

The day of Duquesne University's commencement ceremony
I stood up with my fellow class of 2011 graduates,
united together in a state of relief, excitement, and fear of what’s to come.

Speeches are given on how commencement is a celebration of beginnings, not endings; on how making this world a more loving place is just as important as finding a profession within this currently uncertain marketplace; that we’ve been given the educational tools needed to succeed both financially and spiritually, in this economy.

One would think that after hearing these inspiring speeches, that their would only be an air of hope for the quickly coming future of life after college, which their most certainly was. Yet as I try to breath this air of hope in, I can’t help but feel the urge to hold my breath, cause what comes next after academics, is a bit scary. When the dean of my liberal arts college declares us official graduates of Duquesne University, I watch in awe as not one graduate, including myself, throws their hats in the air to celebrate.

I can tell you, that the reason why my hat didn’t leave my head was because I feared that if it did, it would confirm the fact that the roof of college was no longer over me; that I would cease to have my university meal plan to put food on the table; that I was no longer a kid in the eyes of world I knew, as if I was ever still considered a child- by anyone other than my parents- after turning 18.

So I hid under that cap and gown, for just a little bit longer, hoping to become a little bit stronger before having to take it off; before having to move out into the world with no big job prospects, or overarching security nets; before having to face the good and bad consequences of not holding a socially normal career in mind, but a calling. A calling, which tells me that in time, these words of inspiring stories that I weave will conceive a child who symbolizes the birth of the loving world that I believe to be here... somewhere...waiting to be found.

So somehow, I’ll have to move forward, away from my history here in academia, and take on all the responsibilities of the “real world” while remaining the idealistic dreamer that I am, and sometimes, I wonder if I can. As I walk out of the commencement ceremony, that walking wonder turns into a running worry that I won’t be able to do so, transforming my walk out of the commencement hall into a mad dash clear across to the other side of campus, where when I’m finally far enough, I sit down and take a deep breath...finally filling my lungs with an air of hope for what’s coming after this.

I am reminded of the quote that states, “you learn by looking back, but you live by looking forward.” And at that moment, I realize that I’ve spent enough time learning about how hard this world has been. I’ve learned enough about how difficult it is to make a dream a reality, and how many people never make it trying to strike out on their own. I’ve even been well educated on the statistic of people who go back home to live with their parents after 4 years because of the lack of jobs available that are even remotely connected to the major they chose to pursue during their college career. I’ve been informed enough, and I’m done learning this stuff.

For there comes a time in a persons life when they can no longer learn anything new about how the world has been, but instead have to take their college degree in life and choose how they want their world to be and it’s time to for us...or at least for me...to graduate.

This is the song of my life!

I'll let this song speak for itself.

The Movement Continues...
- Rhetorical Artz

The God that has reveal himself to me
Told me to use what’s known as creativity
That’s uniquely and divinely channeled through me
As a nucleus for my spiritually

But I’ve heard, a lot of fables
About how if you not labeled
Under a certain religion
That you don’t have the provisions

So these people feel obliged to watch ya
When you messed up they say, “ got ya”
Like their your spiritual supervision

Thanks but no thanks
I’ll go ahead and walk the plank
You could even have to bother
To throw me into the waters

That are shark filled

Cause if you just look to the land
You’ll see that now-a-days
Most of these sharks
walk, and stand

They receive, a standing ovation
For embracing institution over innovation
Forget having a spiritual education
Religious prostitution’s has filled this nation

The only difference is how they convey it
Dress it up a different way, you don’t have to say it
Just take away the title, then you can portray it
As being a portrait of absolute greatest

Then call this picture a gift from God, the most High
Eventually it’s embraced
making you the most fly

Now your whole crew is cool
And everyone else
is made out to be fools

You guys got a lot of gifts
All except God’s jewel

The one used for it all
The most important tool
Creativity

Chorus:
Cause creativity is my ode to God
Guiding beauty amongst the mirage
Creativity
Creativity is my ode to God
Providing true love amongst the facade
Creativity
Creativity’s my ode to God
Connecting us within life’s collage
Creativity

And That’s why I find it odd
When people speak about God
With no creativity

Standard police are patrolling
confusing yet consoling
to stay in a comfort zone, that we are not controlling

A comfort zone that says “put are selves in a shell on a shelf”
and don’t come out, cause it’s bad for our health

They say it’s bad for the community
that it distorts our unity
This view amuses me because I follow it usually

Was unconsciously abusing me til I repented
then refuted the consensus so that I could be authentic

Although that makes me vulnerable
At least that stance is own-able
These free thought are my property there never loanable

But they’re always are sold for coal
when they don’t show all parts of me
It’s like having blood and a hearts
with no arteries

Cause without arteries, blood sweat and tears go no where
People would come to be inspired but would only find a show here
But many people roam the earth that show but never tell
About who they really are, inside they let their real selves dwell

This path of superficial glass needs to be shatter
So speak up about some stuff that truly matters

And if I flatter in this message then I’ll fail
so I wont
What I’m trying to say is don’t be like anybody else, be yourself

Path of the Slam Poet

Attention fellow slam poets,
I suggest that if you've chosen to take the path
of stepping up onto-this-stage
that you don't do so to just "perform"
but that you instead approach the mic
with the intent to confess

To confess while understanding
that though this crowd may be your priest
here to hear your confessions
and this stage is may be your confession booth
that this mic...
is a direct connection to God
in which you don't need the priest to applaud
for your voice to be heard

So my fellow sinners
of slam poetry
when you step up on this stage
when you step into this confession booth
just be honest...

Cause many don't get the opportunity to worship in a sanctuary
where one can communicate the Truth within their conscience
and have it be received
by somebody

Yet it seems some who do get the chance
never advance towards it
because they don't truly believe
in the higher power
within the words that they weave
turning the opportunity into a chance
that they forfeit

But you slam poets...
are not one of those some
your not even one of the many

What you are is a part to an equation
that equals a sum of spiritual food for plenty

A soulful sum
filled with numbers of experiences, ideas, and adventures
that eventually will venture onto this stage
as a book
that always worth reading
with every page
a story worth seeing
that only you can show us

So my fellow storytelling sinners
of slam poetry
when you step up onto this stage
when you step into this confession booth
when you step back into the story
of what your currently living or have already lived
don't just give a performance that aims to please
instead please aim to express...

To arm yourself to ready, aim, and fire whatever word bullets you've wanted to release from the gun in your chest
but before you do
be sure to fill each bullet with the gun powder of authenticity
so every adjective, noun, vowel, and verb
that reaches the vicinity of your mouth
will form words that count

Words that bounce and ricochet
off the walls of your heart and mind
to penetrate the hearts and minds of mankind
forcing them to bleed out
bloody words of authenticity as well

So my fellow gun-slinging, storytelling, sinners
of slam poetry
don't just perform for us...

Cause the truth is
that while we may say we really want a performance
want we really need is to be washed over with your artistic integrity

and while we may appear to be asking for a show
what we truly plead for is to be redeemed from the sin
of our worlds dishonesty

So on this path of the slam poet...
recognize that the slam poetry you say here
for ears who can hear
and what your words reveal
to eyes that aren't sealed
offers not just yourself but all of us
an everlasting opportunity to come together as a spiritual community

So confess
express
and be honest
but never ever repent
for this...
is the poetic path you've chosen

The movement continues...
Rhetorical Artz

Reminder of Real Hip-Hop

So every once in a while I listen to some of the mainstream hip hop music and think "this stuff isn't that bad. Maybe I make commercial music out to be worse than it is." Then I listen to this...and I'm reminded...

The Movement Continues...
- Rhetorical Artz

Oppositional Attitude

Sometimes I just want to cry
til I die
So I laugh
and laugh lively

Sometimes I just want to sit
and pretend I don’t exist
So I stand and raise my hands

Sometimes the world get me so down
that I want to give up
with a frown
So I smile
bigger than the happiest child

Acting in opposition is something I've been doing for a while

And I think the reason why is because growing up
I began to notice that when people wanted something
they often never got it
But when people wanted nothing
that something seemed to always be want they got

Personally
this didn't happen to me all the time
just enough that I began to see a trend

A trend I saw many of my family and friends follow...
willingly
Which I really couldn't understand
at first

Cause it just seemed so weird to me
to see someone who wanted peace
to be acting mad
or who wanted joy
to be acting sad
or who wanted goodness
to be acting bad

I mean if they really wanted those things
then why the heck would go and do
the reverse?

But then I grew a tad bit
And as I did I had to admit
that I had come to understand it more

What I came to understand is that
insanity is defined as doing the same things
expecting different results
but ultimately
getting the same ones

Which would mean sanity
is doing different things
expecting the same results
but ultimately
getting different ones

So then doing something
in way that’s completely different from what your expecting
and getting completely different results
is better than doing the same thing
over and over again,
but getting
none...
of what you expected


Which told me that basically
somewhere down the timeline
humanity must have joined forces with insanity

Because it is insane
to walk around being cruel, or upset, or depressed
And expect to ever get anything less
than that

Yet...
people do all of these things
thinking that somehow
that will be rewarded
with kindness, or peace, or joyfulness

Look
I’m not saying that I haven’t done any of this
nor that I won’t do it ever again
What I’m sayin is that I have
and continue to hold
an attitude of opposition
against insanities transmission

Cause without an attitude of opposition
I don't see how anyone could live in a world
insisting
On holding one another through a grip of hatred
or kissing fellow human beings with lips of cruelty
Without having some means
of resisting it

So I laugh
even when I feel like I want to cry
And I live
even when I everything in me wants to die
And when the voice of despair
tells me I should just sit
and cease to exist
I stand-up
and raise my hand
in a fist

Cause otherwise how can tell my future children
much less my own inner child
that when everything in life that comes around
seems to be trying to pull you down
That smiling...
is still okay

Because sanity is defined as doing different things
while expecting the same results
but doing them anyway

So I implore you
although I don’t know you
Or necessary relate to what you've been through
Please...
don’t give in the whim of this messed up world
But to that oppositional attitude
of wisdom within you...
be true

The Movement Continues...
- Rhetorical Artz